Gforce Oberheim OB-X

[Sound Author]

Is the OB-X actually technically comparable to the SEM module? These are both still discrete circuits, while others also had the Curtis chips?

They are very comparable except for the obvious differences in the filters. Therefore the OB-E and the OB-X should be even more comparable.

I really liked the sound of OB-E but I finally decided that tweaking the controls of each individual SEM wasn't my cup of tea, though I know there's a way to control all SEMs at once. Still, I prefer a less overwhelming control surface, and I'm guessing that was the basic idea behind the OB-X: a more approachable 8-voice with some new features.

[bmanic]

I have to admit, this thing sounds pretty damn impressive. They really nailed the way the oscillators are free running and blend with one another.. while the audio levels always stay really even. This is something a lot of digital emulations struggle with and just happens naturally in the analogue domain (not always though.. but it's one of the traits of the Oberheims, usually). It just sounds "correct".

However, I'm really missing keyboard tracking as a modulation assignment. Would make the synth a lot more powerful and much more useful. We have great access to velocity and aftertouch but keyboard tracking is completely missing (except the hardcoded one for the filter).

[zvenx]

Maybe I am missing something, but can't you use the XLFO and XADSR to modulate the keyboard tracking to how you want?
Maybe if you describe a use case scenario I might be clearer what you mean.
rsp

edit: oh I think I got you now.. you want to use keyboard tracking as a source not a target.
rsp

[MrJubbly]

Yeah, I get the need for demo limitations. I don't even begrudge them this particular limitation (the 6 hours - I still think the Alpha patches are silly if you're going to have a time limited demo like that - no need for the double whammy). I just think it should be more clearly communicated to end-users via the plugin itself.

If I clicked Run Demo and it said, "This demo is limited to 6 hours total run time or 7 days, whichever is shorter" then I, and a number of others, wouldn't have walked away with their DAWs running.

What's more silly, is that even after you purchase GForce plugins, those so-called 'alpha' patches, will needlessly continue to remain designated as such (complete with unnecessary 'α' Greek letter flag in the browser), even though the user then has full access to 'all' patches, so no point in being separately designated as 'alpha'.

At best, it's just a lingering reminder of that once, pointless restriction imposed upon the 'extremely brief' demo/trial period. At worst, it's a pointless needless visual distraction in the browser, since this is also the case, even if the registered user never even demoed the plugins at all and instead bought them outright and licenced them from the get-go. You'll still see the 'α' needless alpha patch flags.

And since, there's nothing really to differentiate the seemingly arbitrarily selected/designated 'alpha' from 'non-alpha' patches, it renders that separation even more redundant. i.e. there's no real discernible difference in quality or usefulness.

GForce - Needless 'Alpha Patch' Designation in Registered Plugins.jpg

Obviously, GForce staff decided to specifically 'curate' those particular patches for demonstration purposes. But, their reasoning for selection would seem rather arbitrary/particular to their own individual preferences, and not necessarily shared by their potential customers. Since, I for one, do not feel those which they selected really do 'fully' showcase many of their plugins all that well.

And it's Not that those patches assigned as 'alpha' are bad, per se, because they're not. But rather, that most of the patches which were not curated as 'alpha' have actually proven to be far more beneficial and useful to me personally, while learning what the plugins sound like and for using within my projects. And therefore, would have been a better promotion for their plugins, if access had also been made available within their demos. The curated 'alpha' patches often don't even cover a decently balanced scope of instrument types, often instead, leaning stacked heavily in favour of just a few certain categories.

That's why I said previously, that once I had bought those plugins and was able to hear the full scope of available sounds, that were capable of being made within their plugins, I just felt staggered as to the reasoning behind why GForce didn't simply allow all people demoing their products to also experience all these patches during their already limited trial period. It doesn't make logical commercial sense. Since each potential customer would have their own 'favourite' patches, which are likely to be completely different to the next potential customer (or GForce staff member). And imho, anyone who still defends that nonsensical restriction, is just blindly following the Gforce corporate line, like some devout groupie, instead of relying on simple common sense.

But don't get me wrong, GForce have some amazingly great products on their hands here. They sound fantastic, they also have come on leaps and bounds in their GUI presentation and systems for organizing and presenting presets. Even being big enough to make certain corrections to unpopular design choices, like their recent GUI changes between their v1.6 and v1.6.1 updates to SEM.

It just defies logic and basic business acumen on why GForce still impose such nonsensical limitations and restrictions upon things, which are actually HUGE selling points and which would otherwise undoubtedly make their products more attractive to prospective customers. I remain convinced that in doing so, GForce are only hurting their own bottom line of potential increased sales. However, if they're happy with their current strategy, then so be it.

...Although, it would still be nice if they could get rid of those needless 'alpha' patch markers for registered users.

[SebAV]

If they still provide such limited demos, likely it’s because it doesn’t hurt sales.
Me, I’ve already finished the 6 hours gforce demo, and still have 29 days of Obession demo. No doubt if I buy one because I’ve like it during demo, it’d be the Synapse one.

[Uncle E]

...Although, it would still be nice if they could get rid of those needless 'alpha' patch markers for registered users.

Sorry to hear you’re not an alpha. That must suck for you.

[MrJubbly]

...Although, it would still be nice if they could get rid of those needless 'alpha' patch markers for registered users.

Sorry to hear you’re not an alpha. That must suck for you.

Oh, but I am!

So much so, that I also made that lame pun, before you did...

for all the user demoing the plugins knows, the so-called 'Alpha' presets might equate to the best the product is capable of, and the rest are rather 'less Alpha' ... and nobody likes a 'beta' (unless you're a 'tester')

So, you 'beta' keep following in my footsteps!

[Jac459]

...Although, it would still be nice if they could get rid of those needless 'alpha' patch markers for registered users.

Sorry to hear you’re not an alpha. That must suck for you.

Oh, but I am!

So much so, that I also made that lame pun, before you did...

for all the user demoing the plugins knows, the so-called 'Alpha' presets might equate to the best the product is capable of, and the rest are rather 'less Alpha' ... and nobody likes a 'beta' (unless you're a 'tester')

So, you 'beta' keep following in my footsteps!

Dad's jokes galore... I will force my daughter to read this post so that she knows that her dad is not the only one with very very lame puns (I personally love it).

[MrJubbly]

If they still provide such limited demos, likely it’s because it doesn’t hurt sales.
Me, I’ve already finished the 6 hours gforce demo, and still have 29 days of Obession demo. No doubt if I buy one because I’ve like it during demo, it’d be the Synapse one.

But perhaps, if you had a bit more time to work with and familiarise yourself with the GForce plugin, implementing it into some projects and with more access to its available patches, you'd end up preferring that one instead? (which is the point I've been making).

Case in point, I trialled GForce years before I ended up becoming their customer and never bought into their plugins, due to the aforementioned reasons.

Years later, I ended up taking a gamble during a sale on one of thier plugins, even though again, I was not fully convinced during the very short demo period (and without access to the full preset library).

So, since I know first hand that this can be the case for some users, and that many others might not circle back and given their stuff another try (being previously aware of their rather rigid trial restrictions, compared to their competition), the question is how many customers are GForce perhaps losing out on? Because, it could be rather a lot.

Since, I don't usually give second chances to products from companies I've already previously demoed but decided not to purchase. And it was only a flip of a coin and the sale that convinced me the second time around.

Once I owned their plugin and had time to relax and enjoy exploring and using it within projects (without the pressure of thinking about the silly 6 hour time limit) I found good patches that I could further tweak to my liking and integrate well within projects. After a couple of weeks use, I could really see and hear the full benefits and quality of their plugin, which gave me much more confidence in GForce as a developer. Enough to eventually end up buying almost their entire product line.

And the point is, it was their needlessly strict/limited demo policies that almost prevented me ever buying from them in the first place. I'm not conceited enough to think that I'm truly unique in that regard. But hey, if I am, then so be it. However, if I'm not, then GForce are leaving a lot of cheddar on the table... that other devs (with more lenient product trial policies) are only too happy to be gobbling up!

[uselessmind]

I'm not conceited enough to think that I'm truly unique in that regard.

You are not. Demo versions of really good plugins are installed for weeks or months one my maschine and would have test time of much more than 6
hours.
But they warn at their Website so that was settled quickly in this case.
Admittedly limited interested from the start, but that goes for most music software.
If It was something like their version of Diva otoh....

[zvenx]

It is always interesting what different things bug different people.
The alpha presets being there in the full version and demarcated as such never ever crossed my mind as a potential issue.
Whilst the tag may be unusual, they aren't the only ones who hilite certain presets.. u-he does it in their first level preset browser (local), Spectrasonics does it called Featured, I am sure there are others.

I do agree with the demo policy needs 'tweaking'.. a 7 day usage imho is fine, but the 6 hours? naw.

Because I was a big Oberheim OB series fan (primarily the OB-8)... when I first heard about this plugin I got really really excited... This one delivered for me.

There have been other Oberheim OB series emulations and this is the first one I really like and love.

I don't remember trying OB-Xtreme (was it always both mac and pc? maybe it was only pc initially and all plugins I buy must be both platforms as I use both).

I tried the Sonic Project OP=X Pro a few years ago.. so long ago I can't remember why it didn't gel with me.

I tried the arturia one several times, just didn't do it for me.

And then there is Obsession which to this date probably is the plugin I had most expectations for and disappointed me the most. As others have pointed the workflow is a bit ____...... but my bigger issue with it still is the factory preset. There is one factory preset in the entire thing I like, the one that BigTone did...Way too many presets that do not pay tribute the original sounds of the oberheim, its like ok here is a new synth, pretend you know nothing about its past or what it is famous for, now go make presets for it...was very very disappointing for me.

Whereas this, has the workflow more or less with the original, with additional stuff like Aftertouch, XLFO etc AND the factory presets reflect what the oberheim sound traditionally is about, what it is famous for and also ventures into new territory for the oberheim. This one I love.


rsp

[fisherKing]

I am downloading it now, and noticed it now says "whichever is shorter" for the demo restrictions, so I guess they listened to people's suggestion about that.

Ha you're right they did change it to shorter. That just goes to show how at least monitoring forum feedback for your product can lead to improved customer relations even if you don't directly interact on said forums. Respect earned for GForce......

i actually told the developer that we were discussing the issue on this forum, so he fixed it

[Echoes in the Attic]

30 day demo restrictions already bug me enough. 7 day? Hell no. And on top of that the demo expires if you use it for 6 hours even before that? What on earth good can this possibly do for anyone? The only result could be lost sales.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

The good news for Gforce is all of the complaints around the demo should be relatively trivial to fix if they're interested in taking this feedback seriously. Which is ultimately in their interests. Sometimes, what seems great on a conference call doesn't translate to your customers.

[Uncle E]

Sorry to hear you’re not an alpha. That must suck for you.

Oh, but I am!

So much so, that I also made that lame pun, before you did...

<snip>

As a fellow alpha, you know I didn’t have time to read all that!